Camino Santiago Portuguese, 3: O Porrino To Redondela

June 9th was another 10 mile day, to the city of Redondela and a pensione there, the Rua do Media.

"I brake for peregrinos!"

Memorial to impressive local climbers

"I have built a retaining wall that will last forever"--Pubius Maximus Firestonus

Early morning coastal clouds

At a rest stop along the way, a Pilgrims' shoppe

We stocked up; seriously

Down the road, someone has turned part of their property into a rest/
vending area for us peregrinos

Helping myself to an espresso

Wild gardenias

Among the nicer markers

Together with sun dial

Location

Another Roman mile marker

Map showing Roman interstates XIX and XX

"Another 8k!"

Billboard advertising as you approach towns

In a wood

A dozen or more of these large granite tables; randomly
located

El Corte Ingles is the Macy's of Spain; there are "Chinos" in every town, however,
that is, dollar/euro stores where nearly everything is made in China

This is how real peregrinos are supposed to dress

Peregrino costume at a store in Redondela

"Everything must go"; for retirement

Pilgrim Special at a resto in Redondela: bread, salad, wine/beer, pork loin and
frites; 7E

Entrance to the Rua do Media, a converted residence, 4 floors,
8 rooms; 36E

Another early AM departure; not a single cafe or pastry shop open for the next hour
or more; the Spanish are not early risers

Virtually since Vila Nova de Cerveira we'd been noticing these stone structures,
up on stilts as it were; and wondering what they were

Were we in Alaska, I'd say they were for hanging meat out of the grizzlies' reach;
evidently, the grizzlies here are pretty short 

Camino Santiago Portuguese, 2: Tui To O Porrino

Wednesday was another long trudge, perhaps 12 miles, in increasingly warm weather. We were beginning to acknowledge that we might have trained a bit for this excursion, or at least not eaten quite so many pastels de nata. But we knew we would take a day off in O Porrino.

Early departure from Tui, the residents of which wish us a good Camino, and in
Portuguese too; and helpfully note that it's 114k to the cathedral in Santiago

Stone crosses, new, old, and ancient, all over

Another Medieval bridge and a contemporary sculpture of a
peregrino, a pilgrim (negative space)

Drinking water widely available on the Camino

Absolutely the only overtly religious type we saw on our trek; this guy was
fiddling with his rosaries (left hand); genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!

Alongside the Camino marker is a Roman road sign, not original, but just to let
you know that you are on Interstatum XIX; note chariot (click to enlarge)

Every now and then, signs from taxis...when you've had
enough...we'll come get you

At a pretty stream crossing, a cross and plaque mark the spot
where Saint Telmo died, in 1251

Every now and then, and not nearly often enough, someone has made their
backyard or garage into a pilgrim rest area, complete with tables and chairs,
some shade, and snacks

Home delivery of bread still alive and well here

And stone crosses everywhere

Roman road XIX; we'll see more including the usual chariot ruts

Through vineyards and woods

A stream or pond every now and then

Deep holloways, worthy of England

First glimpse of the enormous quarry that supplies much of the marble and
granite of lower Galicia; some of the blocks being worked on are the size of
apartment buildings

Eschewing the more scenic 3k variant, we are now walking straight through the
emphatically non-scenic "industrial estate" (the guidebook writers are Brits); this
is a yard and plant where they cut the immense granite blocks down to usable,
i.e., cyclopean, size, to become retaining walls, building walls, vineyard posts,
roads, crucifixes, etc.

The blaze can appear in odd places now and then, but was
generally easy to follow; the three or four times we lost the
trail, usually in towns, some resident put us aright, usually
without our asking, and on one occasion actually walked us
back to where we'd missed the turn (not Pismo Beach)

Crossing train tracks at the end of the industrial estate variant

Political billboard of interest to jubilados

Among many Camino-side chapels; many now in dis-use

Many not; many have a stamp where you can do your own credencial 

Corrugated siding! New Zealand!

In another chapel

Helpful model #13,469

San Sebastian, patron saint of archers

In O Porrino at last; here, the consistory palace, in the small
Medieval area

And the Hotel Parque, our home for the next two nights

Our nice 46E room even included a much-needed jacuzzi

We took Thursday, June 8th, off, to celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary,
complete with what's remaining of an original wedding candle, and reception
napkins (Vicki has never missed having them with us, wherever our travels
have taken us)

OK, so the meal wasn't much--we promise to do better next year--but it certainly
was memorable

Best Iberian ham and mushroom scramble ever, so far